Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman [Hardcover]

Dave Nichols (Author), Andrea "Bambi" Cambridge (Author), Michael Lichter (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2006

A stunt man and side show performer made famous by the Discovery Channel, Indian Larry Desmedt is best remembered for his remarkable custom motorcycles, his wild tattoos, and his love for building and riding rolling art. This book, by those who knew him best, offers a closer look at the life that made Larry into the chopper shaman so many admired.

Full of photographs that document a uniquely colorful life, the book follows Larry from his humble beginnings to his unlikely stardom, tracing his short career as a bank robber, his time in prison, his spiral downward into heroin addiction, and his rebirth in 1994 as the spiritual bike builder revered by so many and running through it all, the love of hot rods and motorcycles that finally brought him happiness.

Why was he nicknamed Indian Larry? Because early in his career, he ceaselessly rode his Indian Motorcycles through the street of New York City. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

Thunder Press, June 2006

“Although Nichols employs a style common to most biographies (e.g., from birth to death), catchy chapter titles like ‘Rebel Without a Pause’ and ‘Media Magician’ draw the reader in. He evokes a hint of sensationalism by throwing out tantalizing bits about what can be found in later chapters, making it difficult to put the book down.”

IronWorks, Sept./Oct. 2006

“As you page through Michael Lichter’s photos in Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman, you’ll feel like he’s still with us – or at least wish he was.”

American Iron Magazine, August 2006

“It’s an unusual womb-to-tomb … a fitting tribute to a revered character.”

From the Back Cover

“A great glimpse into the life of a legend.”

—Motorcycle Product News

 

Biker, bank robber, heroin addict: Indian Larry Desmedt filled all these roles in his too-short, complicated life. But he also filled other roles, like lover, healer, mystic, artist. Before his untimely death in 2004 Larry had descended into the deepest pits of hell, but he had returned with a strength and vision few ever attain. Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman chronicles Larry’s epic journey, from his early outlaw years to his rise to the top of the chopper world.

 

“This tome is a tribute to a great and inspirational man who was able to transcend the sinister side of his soul and triumph over the demons that haunted him. The book leaves us with a message of hope. We all have the ability to be heroes. We all live a hero’s journey.”

—Thunder Press

 

“With excellent—and diverse—photography, along with a compelling narrative, this is a good one for both the reading room and the archive.” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram

 

“ . . . intriguing paean to a New York legend . . . a fitting tribute to a revered character.”

—American Iron

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (March 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760323828
• ISBN-13: 978-0760323823
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #496,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Motorcycles > History

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ?????????????, March 17, 2006

By 

James A. Pantano "jackthewhack" (beacon, new york United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman (Hardcover)

i know this may sound strange to some, but the way indian larry passed was the way i think a lot of us would like to go, in defiance of practicality. doing what it is that we truly love to do. taking a risk and then taking it again. im not a biker and i dont pretend to be, and not being one makes it difficult for me to conceptualize what a real biker truly is. but of all the biker shows i have watched and all the magazines and books i have read, indian larry truly embodies that image. he defines in my mind the quintissential biker. i watched biker build off from the begining and indian larry was instantly my favorite. of course being born and raised in brooklyn myself quickly endeared him to me. i remember around the time larry passed the pope had died too. and i remember thinking to myself, wow, the pope known and loved by billions and yet i feel nothing for him. and then here is this guy from brooklyn who builds motorcycles and lives an oddball lifestyle and says and does things that i instantly relate to. larry made me think, i mean truly ponder life in just a couple of hours that a world spiritual leader could not do in how many years? i never met you larry but i miss you. and if this sounds mushy to some, well im sorry. as for the book, its magnificent. a fitting tribute to a true motorcycle legend. great writing and excellent photographs from different times in larrys life. its really amazing to see the evolution of this man. the weight lifting muscle bound photos are a trip. then a couple pages later he has a drug-mug. then hes swimming at coney and riding his bike in shorts- in the winter! i hate the cold so these pix crack me up. there are plenty of studio bike photos of all the biker build off bikes. its a great book. any one who admired indian larry should have it and i am truly glad that i have one. p.s. to all the people who contributed to this book, you did an excellent job. jackthewack, march 06

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, terrible writing, December 29, 2008

By 

Moto Rick (North Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman (Hardcover)

This could have been a much better book if it weren't for Nichols continual essays on how Indian Larry fits into the author's personal view of Viking mythology. After the umpteenth time reading how Indian Larry was a "mythic hero" confronting his self-made demons and emerging as a new person, I was ready to scream. Seriously, that thought makes up about 90% of the written content of the book. The pictures, and the brief comments from other bike builders are pretty interesting, but the maddening writing of Dave Nichols ruined this book for me.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Influential Larry, March 22, 2007

By 

Bryce E. Morgan (Huntington Beach, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman (Hardcover)

Larry was happy being who he was. He states as much in his interviews during his Biker Build Off episodes. I feel the author of this book forgets that and puts Larry high on this pedestal where Larry never wanted to be. His bikes was his art and he appreciated his fans that wanted to see it. What made him unique is that he was kind, caring and considerate. Traits that one hardly ever sees in a person, especially all at one time. This book does Larry justice when telling his story from boyhood to bikehood but loses its flavor when the author throws in his collegiate words to make his point on how great Larry was. Larry seemed, to me, like he was a simple man who wanted simple things and, to put it simply, wanted to share his art with those who would appreciate it. Long story short, this is a good book with a good read and some great photos.